Tubular turbine



March 6, 1951 E. N. HAMPTON TUBULAR TURBINE 2 Sheets-'Sheet Filed Nov. 14, 1947 .a ME!? n'. HAM/770 March 6, 1951 E. N. HAMPTON TUBULAR TURBINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 14, 1947 M R mw M A mu N R E W E ATTOP/VEKS Patented Mar. 6, 1 951 UNITED VSTATES PATENT OFFICE TUBULAR TUEBINE EImer'N..I-Iampton', Rolla, Mo;

Application November 14, 1947,`SerialNo. 78600 6 2'Claims (CI. 253--65) This invention relates to a tubularturbine, and more particularly to a turbine adapted for utilization of' expanding a compressible fluid such as steam or gases of combustion for the rotation of a. drive shaft.

The primary object ofthis invention is the provision` of an improved turbine characterized by mechancal Simplicity and adaptable to comparative mass production, not requiring the relatively close tolerances of conventional turbines.

A further object of this inventionis the provision of a turbine adapted to employ the pure reaction of expanding a compressible fluid which loses no energy to stationary bladesas is the case with ccnventional turbines.

An additional object of the invention is the provision'of a device of this character wherein there is relatively little friction between the moving parts; and wherein erosion of the-expansion tubes is comparatively negligible.

An additional object of the invention is the pro- Vision of such a device wherein losses occasioned by'pressure leakage are held to a minimum.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character which is sturdy and durable in Construction, reliable and efcient in operation, and relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture', assemble and utilize.

Other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out as the description of the invention proceeds, and shown in the accompanying drawings wherein there is disclosedr a preferred embodiment of thisinventive concept.

In the drawings':

Figure' 1' is a vertical longitudinal sectional View taken substantially through thecenter line of a turbine embodying features of the instant inventiveconcept; certain portions thereof being broken 4 Figure. 5 is a sectionai viewsimilar totFigure 2,' `"miut disclosinga modified form of Construction.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the

`vice 'should now be readily understandable. suitable 'compressiblefluid; such as: ste'am or ;gases' .of' combustion, or the like; is' introduce'd :through: theinlet' 17 'into the? ohamber 16', from which itpasses `through .the ap'erturesi. 36 'into' the reduced' ends* of" helices: 31 The gas' is* obviousz device of the instant invention includes oppositely-disposed supporting members l0 and' ll. The member IU isprovided with a journal bearing !3 adapted' to rotatably support drive shaft l4 the opposite end of which extends outwardly through a suitable journal bearing in the' supporting member il, and extends to any desired locality for the performance of work..

Support or. housing` ll] includes a compressible fiuidor gas chamber l6provided with an inlet !1, and is provided exteriorly with labyrinth glands 8, upon Whichs mounted for rotation the tubular extremity l9of.a.frusto-com'cal sleeve or shell ze, the opposite conical end 21 of 'whichis posi'- tioned rotatabl'y on labyri'nth glands 22 carried interiorly of the flange 23 offachamber 24 form'ed interiorly of the supporting` member or. housing Il. An outlet 25 isnprovided for. the chambe' 24-.

Labyrinth glands. 22 and I 87 are ofidentical Construction and comprise well known structure which forms no part of 'the present invention;

The inner erd of` inlet chamber I@ is adapted to be closed by a plate concentric with and Secured to the shaft l4, and having its outer rim fixedly Secured to the inner side of the frustoconical shell 20. Aperturesthrough the plate 35 communicate with thewsmall ends of helicallywound, continuously-expanding, tubular members 3? surrounding the 'drive shaft [4, and ex'- panding oonstantly in conformity with the taper of' 'the shell` 20; The large ends38 of'the helical members communicate with apertures 39 in` a closure plate 40 surrounding the shaft !4 in fluidtight relation, and Secured at its outer periphery to the interior of the large end of the shell 20.

As :best shown in Figure 2, the tubular members 31 arezconnected tothe interier of the shell zfl, as-by 'spacedweb members 41, and' to' the; shaft |4as 40 by *correspondirrg web members 42..

The configuration of' the tubular members 31 before they'arewound in helical form aboutthe shaft Mandsecure'd to' the plate's* 35 and'4n is frusto-conical and is best indicated'in Figure 4;

From' the foregoing the. operation of the de- Any ly at a relatively high pressure and under material compression. As the gas passes through the helical expanding tubes it expands at a ratio corresponding to the expansion ot the area of the tubes. The expanding gas thus creates a velocity which in turn creates a reaction thrust which imposes a torque on the drive shaft, due to the helical winding of the tubes, and at a distance substantially equal to the clearance space between the shaft and the tube plus the radius of the tube. Obviously, the force multiplied by the distance will equal the torque imparted to the shaft. Due to the helical winding of the tubes, it will be apparent that the force exerted is not exactly perpendicular to the shaft, but the small amount of force not acting to rotate the shaft will be directed in such manner as to partially equalize or neutralize the force imparted by the unequal forces at the two ends of the turbine. After the gas has expanded to final pressure, it exits through the enlarged ends 38 of the helices 31 through the apertures 39 into chamber 24 and thence through outlet 25 either to the atmosphere, to a heat-exchanger, to a compressor, to a condenser, or the like, depending upon the existing conditions.

Obviously, the design illustrated may be modied and the requisite degree of expansion of the tubular members as well as the number of turns required to provide maximum efiiciency may be computed mathematically, or in other desired manner.

Figure discloses an additional form of turbine, wherein a frusto-conical shell 20' mounted in a manner substantially identical to the foregoing contains a shaft I 4' and four helically-Wound, expanding tubular members 37', interwound and secured to. the interior of the shell 20' by webs 'M', to the shaft by webs 42, and to each other by additional webs GE'.

The operation of the modification of Figure 5 is substantially identical to that previously discussed, and it will be readily apparent that any csired ,number ofltubular members may be employed in accordance with the conditions to provide maximum efficiency.

From the foregoing it will now be seen that there is herein provided an improved turbine characterized by relatively high efliciency and Simplicity in Construction and operation, which accomplishes all the objects of this invention, and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and as many modifications may be mace in the embodiments hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense' I claim:

1. A turbine comprising a horizontally disposed frusto-conical open ended shell, a first fixed housing having one end open positioned adiacent the smaller end of said shell and having the open end rotatably supporting said smaller end of said shell, an inlet in the other end of said housing for connection to a source of compressed fluid,

a first transversely disposed plate fixedly positioned within said shell inwardly of and spaced from said smaller end of the latter abutting said one end of said first named housing and forming with said first named housing an inlet chamber, a second fixed housing having one end open .and positioned adjacent the larger end 'of said shell and having the open end rotatably supporting 'said larger end of said shell, an outlet in said second housing adjacent the other end thereof, a second transversely disposed plate fixedly positioned within said shell inwardly of and spaced from said larger end of said shell and forming with the adjacent portion of said shell and said second housing an outlet chamber, and a Conduit of varying diameter having a plurality of convolutions arranged in the form of a helix of frusto-conical shape positioned within said shell intermediate said first and second plates and having its convolutions fixedly secured to said shell, one end of said conduit extending through said first plate and in communication with said inlet chamber and the other end of said conduit extending through said second plate and in communication with said outlet chamber.

2. A turbine comprising a horzontally disposed frusto-conical open ended shell, a first fixed housing having one end open positioned adjacent the smaller end of said shell and having the open end rotatably suporting aid smaller end of said shell, an inlet in the other end of said housing for connection to a source of compressed fluid, a first transversely disposed plate fixedly positioned within said shell inwardly of and spaced from said smaller end of the latter abutting said one end of said first named housing and forming with said first named housing an inlet chamber, a second fixed housing having one end open and positioned adjacent the larger end of said shell and having the open end rotatably supporting said larger end of said shell, an outlet in said second housing adjacent the other end thereof, a second transversely disposed plate fixedly positioned within said shell inwardly o and spaced from said larger end of said shell and forming with the adjacent portion of said shell and said second housing an outlet chamber, a longitudinally extending shaft positioned within said shell and fixedly supported on said first and second named plates, one end of said shait extending through and out of said inlet chamber, the other end of said shaft extending through and out of said outlet chamber, and a Conduit of varying diameter having a plurality of convolutions arranged in the form of a helix of frusto-conical shape circumposed about said shaft, intermediate said first and second plates and having its convolutions fixedly secured to said shell and said shaft, one end of said Conduit extending through said first plate and in communication with said inlet chamber and the other end of said Conduit extending through said second plate and in communication with said outlet chamber.

ELMER. N. HAMPTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date &13,537 Kessler Feb. 5, 1907 1,490,755 Wirt Apr. 15,-1924 2,404,371 Glaser July 23, 1946 2,436,246 Braga Feb. 17, 1948 i FOREIGN PATEN'I 'S Number Country Date.

345,660 France Dec. 8, .1904

473,457 France Jan. 13, 1915 

